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“Nature alone possesses restorative powers. She alone can build up her exhausted energies, and repair the injuries she has received by inattention to her fixed laws.”

--Healthful Living, p. 57

What is

Naturopathy?

“When in faith the human agent does all he can to combat disease, using the simple methods of treatment that God has provided, his efforts will be blessed of God.”

--Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 25

“The influence of the Spirit of God is the very best medicine that can be received by a sick man or woman. Heaven is all health; and the more deeply the heavenly influences are realized, the more will be the sure recovery of the believing invalid.”

--Medical Ministry, p. 12

HIPPOCRATIC OATH

for Doctor of Medicine

Classical Version

I swear by Apollo Physician and Asclepius and Hygieia and Panaceia and all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfill according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant:

To hold him who has taught me this art as equal to my parents and to live my life in partnership with him, and if he is in need of money to give him a share of mine, and to regard his offspring as equal to my brothers in male lineage and to teach them this art -- if they desire to learn it -- without fee and covenant; to give a share of precepts and oral instruction and all the other learning to my sons and to the sons of him who has instructed me and to pupils who have signed the covenant and have taken an oath according to the medical law, but no one else.

I will apply dietetic (nutrition) measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice.

I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art.

I will not use the knife, not even on sufferers from stone, but will withdraw in favor of such men as are engaged in this work.

Whatever houses I may visit, I will come for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all mischief and in particular of sexual relations with both female and male persons, be they free or slaves.

What I may see or hear in the course of the treatment or even outside of the treatment in regard to the life of men, which on no account one must spread abroad, I will keep to myself, holding such things shameful to be spoken about.

If I fulfill this oath and do not violate it, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being honored with fame among all men for all time to come; if I transgress it and swear falsely, may the opposite of all this be my lot.

Translation from the Greek by Ludwig Edelstein. From "The Hippocratic Oath" text, translation, and interpretation by Ludwig Edelstein. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1943.

The term ‘Naturopath’ now distinguishes the profession of “Drugless Practitioners” from others. It was from this experience that Dr. Lust decided that Naturopaths should never use the term ‘medical’ with or near the term ‘Naturopathy.’ Furthermore, Dr. Lust considered the practice of Naturopathy to be educating others in a ‘way of life,’ not a treatment for ‘disease.’

Naturopathy is a distinct school of healing, employing the beneficent agency of nature's forces, of water, air, sunlight, earth power, electricity, magnetism, exercise, rest, proper diet, various kinds of mechanical treatment, and mental and moral science.

Naturopathy is the only healing system that is not a cult, nor a fanatical narrow creed, nor a system controlled by one man, one or two group; it is a science of nature, the biological way of living right, the natural way to cure...

All other systems if they are biologically correct, must belong to naturopathy or nature cure; and if contrary to nature, superstitious, dangerous, criminal in practice and results, they are sure to belong to regular medicine—regular licensed quackery.

Dr Benedict Lust states, “Naturopathy is the mother, all-inclusive, of natural therapy. It is the basic platform for all methods of healing; without it any healing art will be a failure.” (Nature Doctors).

Here is a Summary of the Principles of Naturopathy

A. “vis medicatrix naturae” The Healing Power of Nature. Naturopathic practitioners trust that the body has the inherent ability to establish, maintain, and restore health. The healing process is ordered and intelligent, nature heals through the response of the life force. The physician’s role is to facilitate and augment this process and act to identify and remove obstacles to health and recovery, and to support the creation of a healthy internal and external environment.

B. “tolle causam” Identify and heal the cause. Illness does not occur without a cause. Underlying causes of disease must be discovered and removed before a person can recover completely from illness. Symptoms are expressions of the body’s attempt to heal, but not the cause of disease. Symptoms therefore should not be suppressed by treatment. Causes may occur on many levels including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. The physician must evaluate fundamental underlying causes rather than at symptomatic expression.

C. “primum no nocere” First do no harm. Illness is a purposeful process of the organism. The process of healing includes the generation of symptoms which are, in fact, an expression of the life force attempting to heal itself. Therapeutic actions should be complimentary to and synergistic with this healing process. The physician’s actions can support or antagonize the actions of the vis medicatrix naturae. Therefore, methods that are designed to suppress symptoms without removing underlying causes are considered harmful and are avoided or minimized.

D. “docere” doctor means “teacher.” The term “doctor” is derived from “docere,” a Latin word which designated a teacher. It apparently was first employed in the 12th Century in the school of Bologna, being conferred upon those of the legal profession. The French gave the degree of “doctor” to graduates in the schools of divinity and later a similar degree was bestowed to both the religious and legal professionals. Beginning in about 1360 the title and degree of doctor was applied to those in the fields of philosophy, literature and music and to those in other academic crafts and sciences as well as those from divinity and legal schools. The doctor is to teach the patient the elements necessary to restore proper structure and functioning of the body, so as to release and stimulate the vital force to normalize. Good health is produced in this manner through the medium of education (educate, Latin, “to lead’). In this sense education, through the medium of “Logos” (the spoken word) can be considered medicinal.

E. phyein / physis / physicos / physicianmeans “healing by means of nature.” Phyein is the Greek derivative from which the word “physician” originates and is means “to produce or grow.” Later this term was applied to a grower of medicinal herbs and plants, evolving subsequently to “physis” meaning “nature,” thence into “physikos” meaning “natural,” an allusion to the natural origin of plants that were used in healing. Later, the term “physis,” or “the art of healing by natural means with herbs and other natural substances,” was evolved and finally led to the title of “physician” designating “one who heals by natural methods.”

F. “medico” means medicine. Medicine is derived from the Latin word, “medico,” meaning to heal.” Thus, the science and art of the prevention, cure, or alleviation of disease – restoring and preserving health. Now, unfortunately, commonly understood, in a much narrower sense, to only mean drugs and their preparations. The ultimate goal of any health care system should be prevention. This is accomplished through education and promotion of life-habits that create good health. The Naturopath assesses risk factors and hereditary susceptibility to disease and makes appropriate interventions to avoid further harm and risk to the patient/client. The emphasis is on building health rather than on fighting disease.

G. "Wholistic" or "Holistic" addressing and healing the whole person. Recognize the multifactorial nature of health and disease. Health and disease are conditions of the whole organism, a whole, involving complex interaction of physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, and other factors. The physician must assess and address the whole person by taking all of these factors into account. The harmonious functioning of all aspects of the individual is essential to recovery from and prevention of disease, and requires a personalized and comprehensive approach to assessment and healing.